BYK E350

GEOMETRY

Ergonomics is heavily involved with ByK’s marketing. But it’s for good reason.

Over the years, we’ve seen that kids who struggle to maintain balance and generally struggle to ride a bike well, have a much easier time on the E350. Riding a bike becomes less of a struggle.

How?

The E350 rolls on 18-inch wheels. Larger diameter wheels are, by nature, more stable. As the wheels gain momentum, they deliver a very “grounded” feel.

It’s also a touch longer too. This extra length gives young riders more room to grow.

The low standover height (low top bar) makes getting on and off easier, and (once the training wheels are off) also makes turning and manoeuvring the E350 a piece of cake.

Another area worth mentioning is the pedal or crank area.

Ever noticed kids struggling to pedal past the 12 o’clock position, when the pedal is at the very top?

Well, ByK cranks use shorter arms. Shorter crank arms are MUCH easier for kids to pedal with because they actually encourage a “smoother” pedal motion.

To make the pedal action even smoother, a 3-piece crank is used - not the typical 1 piece used on most kids bikes.

This means, the bearings are better quality (and smoother) and there’s less resistance rotating the pedals around.

The 16-inch Giant Animator is the only other kids bike in our range to use short, 3-piece crank arms.

THE RANGE

There are 3 types of E350 models. They are all the same size. Where they differ is the type of terrain kids will be riding them on.

First, we have the standard E350 model. This bike has a front and rear hand brake, plus a foot brake. It has 1 gear (also called a single speed)

Tyres are semi-slicks and narrow (at 1.50 inches wide); perfect for smooth unsealed bike paths and concrete surfaces. The price on the E350 is $389.00.

Second, there’s the E350 MTB. MTB = Mountain Bike. For kids riding on lots of dirt and gravel, this model is ideal. Like the standard E350, this also has a front and rear hand brake and pedal brake.

And:

It comes with a Shimano 3-speed (internal) gear system. Now, unlike typical “external” gears, internal gears are a lot easier to use. No forward pedalling required. Simply select the gear and it instantly changes.

Because of this it’s a brilliant way to introduce gears to kids at an early age. Especially if there’s hills close to home. The E350 MTB’s wider (1.95 inches wide), treaded tyres will also help with grip on dirt and gravel surfaces. Price for the E350 MTB is $479.00.

And lastly, ByK has introduced a new model - the E350 MTR. MTR = Mountain/Road. It’s exactly the same in every way to the E350MTB except it has narrower tyres at 1.75 inches wide. So wider than the E350. Plus the tyres have more tread.

As you can see, the E350 MTR is appealing because it could be so versatile on all sorts of bike paths and surfaces. And it has the advantage of Shimano’s 3 speed internal gear system. Price for the E350 MTR is $479.00.